Chapter 206 The Stubborn Mother-in-Law
Fang Xiaoju stood frozen in place, as if nailed to the floor, unable to move.
His face first showed astonishment, his eyes wide open, as if he had never expected things to develop this way; then came anger, his eyebrows raised, his nostrils flared, and he gritted his teeth, wishing he could rush forward and question him; finally, that anger slowly subsided, turning into an indescribable hatred hidden deep in his eyes, cold as a knife, staring straight at Qiao Wanyin on the hospital bed.
She never expected that Qiao Wanyin, who was usually quiet and never dared to speak loudly, could act so realistically—her pale face, her helpless eyes, and even the slight twitching of her fingers made her look like she was really about to miscarry.
But she knew perfectly well that she hadn't touched her at all, not even daring to get close...
Medical staff arrived quickly, their steps hurried, their white coats appearing particularly solemn under the corridor lights.
The attending physician quickly checked Qiao Wanyin's condition and then looked at the data on the monitor. His expression was serious but not flustered. He only said one sentence: "The fetal heart rate is currently stable, but the cause of the abdominal pain is still unclear. It is recommended to continue to observe and avoid emotional fluctuations."
Fu Li'an didn't leave the bedside for a moment, staying by her side without leaving for a second. His eyes were always fixed on Qiao Wanyin's face, and he listened to every doctor's order, but his heart was still filled with a heavy burden.
Only after the doctor confirmed that the mother and child were safe and out of immediate danger did he finally breathe a sigh of relief, his back slowly relaxing, his palms covered in cold sweat.
“Brother Maidong…” Fang Xiaoju leaned closer, her voice trembling, her eyes red and her voice choked with sobs, “I didn’t touch her, I really didn’t push her… I just stood there and said something… Can you believe me just this once? From childhood to adulthood, when have I ever lied to you?”
As she spoke, she reached out to grab Fu Lian's sleeve, but he ruthlessly shook her off.
Fu Li'an glanced at her coldly, his eyes as piercing as ice picks, devoid of any warmth: "Go back now. Qingqing needs to rest and shouldn't be disturbed."
Every word was spoken clearly, firmly, and without question.
These words are clearly meant to drive people away, leaving no room for negotiation.
Fang Xiaoju's hand froze in mid-air, her fingertips trembling slightly, before she slowly withdrew it.
She bit her lip so hard it almost broke the skin, tears welling up in her eyes but she dared not let them fall.
She wanted to argue, to cry, to explain, but faced with that cold gaze, she dared not utter a single word.
Seeing this, Song Yazhi quickly grabbed her arm and led her outside, her tone anxious yet reassuring: "Adong, we'll go now, and come back to see you when Qingqing is better. Don't overwork yourself, take care of yourself and get some rest."
As she spoke, she forcefully pulled Fang Xiaoju toward the door, afraid that her daughter would say something that would cause trouble.
Once they left, the room fell silent, with only the soft beeping of the instruments and the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window.
The air seemed to freeze, and a cool, medicinal scent permeated the entire room.
Fu Lian sat on the edge of the bed, gently touching his wife's face, carefully wiping away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes with his fingertips, his voice as soft as a feather: "Are you still feeling unwell? Are you feeling any better now? Do you want some water? Or should we change positions? Tell me, I'll do whatever you say."
Qiao Wanyin shook her head very gently, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes looking at the ceiling with a complicated expression.
She felt a mix of emotions, a bittersweet feeling of resentment, as well as the weariness of victory and a lingering unease.
She won this round, but she knew that the war was far from over.
She understood that this was only a temporary respite.
Her mother-in-law and Fang Xiaoju will not let her off easily.
They won't truly let go until the child is born.
She could only struggle forward step by step.
"Ophiopogon japonicus".
She hesitated for a moment, her fingers curling into her palm, before finally speaking, her voice low but firm, "There are some things I... want to tell you. They're very important, and I can't keep them from you any longer."
Fu Lian held her hand tightly, and the warmth from her palm reassured her a little.
He nodded, looking intently into her eyes, and said, word by word, "Qingqing, tell me, I'm listening. Whatever it is, I'll take care of it for you."
Qiao Wanyin took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling slightly, as if she had used all her strength to make this decision.
She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
“The medicine my mother gave me, one cup every morning and evening, was supposed to help with pregnancy and nourish the body… But after drinking it, I always felt dizzy and nauseous, and sometimes my vision would go black… What happened today… wasn’t the first time… It happened twice before, but I didn’t say anything.”
Fu Li'an frowned, his brows furrowing even deeper, a hint of shock and disbelief flashing in his eyes: "Qingqing, what do you mean by that? Are you saying... there's something wrong with the medicine Mom gave you?"
"I can't explain it either."
Qiao Wanyin's tears fell again, one by one, onto the pillow, spreading into dark spots.
She sobbed softly, her voice broken but each word clear: "From the day you left on your business trip, Mom changed her attitude towards me... She's cold and always finding fault... I've looked up those medicines in medical books myself, checked the ingredients... Many of the ingredients are bad for pregnant women, some should even be used with caution or avoided altogether... Ophiopogon japonicus, I'm not just imagining things... I'm really scared... scared that something will happen to me and the baby..."
"Qingqing, you can't talk about things like this."
Fu Li'an's brows twitched slightly, his tone carrying a hint of reproach mixed with a touch of helplessness, "Mom is a bit stubborn, but she's an elder, how could she do such a thing... This is our own child, no matter what, she shouldn't..."
"I know you don't believe me."
Qiao Wanyin interrupted him urgently, her voice trembling slightly, her eyes filled with anxiety and grievance, "But look at this, this is what I wrote down myself, every word is clear, I didn't make it up, and I didn't talk nonsense!"
She pulled a yellowed, crumpled piece of paper from under her pillow, her fingers trembling slightly with nervousness, and handed it to him. "I copied it down secretly, when she was cooking or watching TV and not paying attention to me. I wrote it down word by word, every medicine, every dosage."
Fu Li'an hesitated for a moment, but finally took the paper.
He looked down and examined it carefully, his eyes scanning back and forth among the densely packed characters.
He didn't understand the specific effects of these medicinal herbs, which ones were beneficial and which ones were harmful, but he could see that the fear in Qiao Wanyin's eyes was real—a fear that had been suppressed for too long and was on the verge of collapse, which she couldn't hide.
Qiao Wanyin continued, her voice low as if afraid of being overheard, “When you’re not home, Mom and Fang Xiaoju take turns trying to persuade me to drink it, one of them watching me swallow the medicine. Sometimes I’ll say I’m not feeling well and don’t want to drink it, but they’ll say it’s for the good of your family’s descendants, leaving me with no way to resist.”
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